Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning in Foshan

As part of the SUMP Foshan Pilot Project, the Sino-German Cooperation on Low Carbon Transport and the China Sustainable Transportation Center (CSTC), in cooperation with the city of Foshan, have prepared a video presenting the city and its sustainable urban mobility planning (SUMP) experience.

Introducing Foshan and its mobility landscape, the video provides insights into the city’s efforts in exploring a green mobility development path, such as the construction of light rail and cycling lane infrastructure, or improvements in bus services. It emphasises the solid foundation for sustainable mobility already built in Foshan as well as the need for further improvement in areas such as car dependency or poor connectivity of active mobility networks.

In its first application in China, and with the guidance of Rupprecht Consult (main authors of the SUMP Guidelines (2nd Edition)), the SUMP concept provided Foshan with the planning methodology necessary to promote green mobility, prioritise integrated urban and mobility development, and achieve a wider engagement of stakeholders and the public, ensuring that local conditions and the needs of Foshan’s residents are reflected in mobility planning. The Foshan SUMP Pilot Project, launched in 2021, builds on Foshan’s existing transport plans with tailor-made solutions for current issues.

With a vision of a “green” and “people-centred” mobility system, the Foshan SUMP proposes five strategies at the city level:

• Strategy 1: Establishing a rail transit network matching Foshan’s urban structure.
• Strategy 2: Building a multi-level bus system with rapid bus routes on prioritised lanes, and shorter bus routes connecting Foshan’s neighbourhoods with metro stations.
• Strategy 3: Connecting public transport modes to achieve a systematic and efficient transfer system, thereby making transfer easier and reducing travel time.
• Strategy 4: Improving the cycling and walking infrastructure to provide a safe and enjoyable travelling environment.
• Strategy 5: Discouraging the use of cars through such measures as parking management and driving bans.

Following these strategies, the SUMP further suggests concrete measures for implementation in a showcase area around Kuiqi Road in Foshan’s central Chancheng District. These include the promotion of safe routes to school, expanding the cycling and walking infrastructure, and applying bus routes connecting neighbourhoods in the area with the district’s metro station on Kuiqi Road.

The SUMP Pilot Project offers Foshan a new direction in its green mobility development path and can support the city in its ambition to build a more sustainable, efficient, inclusive, and convenient transport system. Foshan’s experience has also demonstrated the prospects for SUMP development in China and how it can help develop green mobility in other Chinese cities, as well as encourage international exchange with other cities.

Watch the video here: [Video] Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) in Foshan - SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION CHINA (transition-china.org)

For more information about the project: Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) in Foshan - SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION CHINA (transition-china.org)